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Venue

Lincoln Square

60625, Chicago, IL, US

www.lincolnsquare.org/

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Additional details

https://squareroots.org/music/

Concert in your area for Country, Folk & Blues, and Rock.

Find out more about Country and Rock.

Hurray for the Riff Raff biography

Hurray for the Riff Raff (formed in 2007) is an American indie, folk, and Americana collective, led by the vocal and banjo-playing talents of Alynda Lee Segarra – hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

Puerto Rican-born Alynda Lee Segarra left home at 17 after being raised by her aunt Nereida in the Bronx, where she took a keen interest in the hardcore punk scene. Upon leaving New York, Segarra hitchhiked and hopped freight trains across North America, later joining a collective of train-yard musicians, the Dead Man’s Street Orchestra. Playing a banjo a close friend gave to her, the musician soon began penning her own songs, and alongside core members Yosi Pearlstein (drummer/violinist) and David Maclay (bass) formed Hurray for the Riff Raff.

Utilising myriad experiences on the road and rails, as well as a wide spectrum of musical influences, Hurray for Riff Raff issued their debut album “It Don’t Mean I Don’t Love You” in 2008. The self-released album, which featured a host of accordion, guitar, organ and saw players, highlights Segarra's wavering country vocals and folk-blues accompaniment. The band’s follow-up, “Young Blood Blues”, was similarly self-released and arrived in 2010. Following the release Hurray for the Riff Raff signed with Loose Music, who issued a self-titled album of Segarra’s favourite tracks in 2011. The group’s profile was subsequently raised with features on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, along with the HBO TV series “Treme”.

Released on their own label Born to Win Records in the U.S. and on Loose Music in Europe, Hurray for the Riff Raff’s third album “Look Out Mama” appeared in 2012. Recorded at The Bomb Shelter Studios in Nashivlle, Tennessee, the record proved a popular release among fans and earned a string of positive reviews. The band’s subsequent release was the cover album “My Dearest Darkest Neighbor” issued by Mod Mobilian Records in July 2013. Initially the reward for contributing to the group’s Kickstarter campaign, the record features covers of tracks by Billie Holiday, Gillian Welch, John Lennon, and Lucinda Williams among others. Led by the single “St. Roch Blues”, Hurray for the Riff Raff’s major label debut on ATO Records arrived in February 2014 entitled “Small Town Heroes”.

JD McPherson biography

JD McPherson is the stage and recording name of American singer-songwriter and musician Jonathan David McPherson, born April 14, 1977 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

Influenced by a wide-spectrum of musical genres from the 1950’s rock and roll of Buddy Holly, to the ’70’s punk rock and ’80’s hip-hop, JD McPherson first began playing guitar at the age of 13. During high school the young musician played in a number of local punk bands and began crafting his own rock and roll songs. McPherson subsequently performed in the groups the Poison Okies and the Starkweather Boys, before beginning his studies at the University of Tulsa. After graduating with a degree in fine arts, and a short spell as an art and technology teacher, the singer-songwriter sent a demo to Hi-Style Records’ exec Jimmy Sutton.

McPherson later signed with Hi-Style Records who issued his debut full-length “Signs and Signifiers” in 2010. The album highlighted the singer-songwriter’s vintage sounding blues-rock, charted at No. 161 on the Billboard 200 upon its major-label rerelease in 2012, and won the 2012 Independent Music Award for Best Rock Album. Later in 2012 McPherson released the single “Your Love (All That I’m Missing)”, and was dubbed as an “Artist to Watch” by Rolling Stone Magazine. The musician was subsequently invited to tour alongside Nick Lowe on his tour of America’s West Coast.

The EP “The Warm Covers”, featuring McPherson’s take on songs by Billy Boy Arnold and Lowe, was issued in 2014, before he returned to the studio to focus on his follow-up album. “Let the Good Times Roll”, produced by Mark Neil, was released in February 2015, charting at No. 142 on the Billboard 200.

Live reviews

Known for their catchy guitar riffs and short aggetated lyrics, Deeper did not disappoint. Bringing energy and a new found sense of identity, Deeper had the rooms attention right out of the gate with the tone of the show immediately apparent. This was a rock band and this was a rock show. While their self titled debut album “Deeper” certainly has its highlights, it can at times come across flat. Deeper’s live performance managed to bring those songs to life. The guitar sounded...twangy...and foreign...and polished? The vocals, their delivery in particular, was almost David Byrne-like. In a good way! Pink Showers was the inevitable standout, but a “new one” to close out the show was certainly a treat as well. Overall: Would see again.

Also: Shout out to the opener Diviño Niño. Would recommend.

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ChaseP

New Orleans, the home of jazz, blues and The Soul Rebels. Destined for success after parading around the streets of New Orleans in the tradition of the second line and jazz funerals, the Soul Rebels began their professional debut with the famed Neville Brothers in New Orleans at the hot spot Tipitina’s! They impressed the crowds so much that they continued to open for the Nevilles and this was just the beginning.

Their genre crossing sound between Mardi Gras funk, soft rock, funk and reggae has gained them attention from a spectrum of artists such as Better than Ezra, Counting Crows, Green Day to name a few. This live show is still delighting fans worldwide as the outfit are known for throwing everything they have into their performance, merging their own original music with incredible covers of Eurythmics 'Sweet Dreams' and Hall & Oates 'I Can't Go For That' which are assured to get their audiences dancing and cheering along.

An incredibly happy live act, the group always appear ecstatic to be performing together and to their crowds as they launch into jazzy numbers such as 'I Like To Move It Melody'. For an old style sound with a modern dance twist, The Soul Rebels are a must see artist.

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sean-ward

Brilliant gig! Went having never heard any of Margo Price's recordings, purely on the merit I understood her to be be an exciting new artist.

Turns out the hype wasn't wrong. Brilliantly sweet voice and excellent leading lady and show-woman with a superb band. She and her band provided a storming set that I would happily watch all over again

Waited to get a signed CD after the performance and got to chat with her briefly and she was as delightful as as had shone through during the gig, a truly lovely lady!

Highly recommended

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Mattygigs

Hurray for the Riff Raff are a distinctive feel good folk and country band that hail from New Orleans, Louisiana. The fantastic Alynda Lee Segarra, who has such a good voice for storytelling, fronts them. It’s very easy to find yourself hanging on every word that she sings with her captivating tone. They are in the house tonight to perform their original material, starting with a song called “Look Out Mama” a song that has a very original kind of instrumentation with a drum kit hit by timpani beaters, a violin, a double bass, and a synthesizer which supplies some odd and original gated synthesizer sound. “Crash on the Highway”, allows the violin to play in a very fiddle kind of manner, adopting some double stops and a lot of glissandos here and there. It really goes back to the more original country and western bluegrass style that was very large in the 50’s and 60’s but of course, this band somehow manages to make it work in this present day, making it sound current. They are well worth a watch if you want to loose yourself in some music that sounds different.

Anonymous

With a blues heart straight from Oklahoma, JD McPherson is a blessing from the blues God.

Take a look at his performance for KEXP back in 2012. I know it's perhaps dated, but it shows JD, Jonathon David McPherson, in his natural vibe. The double bass brings a funky jazz swing to it all, contrasting to JD singing 'I'm nothing but a country boy.' His music derives from the essence of popular music today: blues, jazz, country and classic rock n roll. JD is the perfect example of a rockabilly. Although stating that his music is old school, JD admits that he takes inspiration from various artists including Wu-Tang Clan and Pixies.

I admit I can't quite see the links myself but inspiration comes in all different types of forms. Whatever his inspiration is, JD produces faultless country rock music. He has a couple of shows commencing soon which could be paving way to the start of new material and a new record. Let's hope.

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LouisAntoniou

It takes a lot of self-loathing to call your band “The Tossers” and to maintain a career spanning over twenty years. Fair play to this Celtic Punk band hailing from Chicago, Illinois.
This band are amongst the scene dominated by bands such as Catch 22, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys. Tony Duggins and Aaron Duggins front this band demonstrating quite a great deal of 10,000 worth of practice on their respected instruments, mandolin and tin whistle. Performing live isn’t just a party for this six-piece band, it’s almost a recital that these virtuosic musicians seize an opportunity to showcase what they have learned up until now. Of course, they drink a lot when performing and it inspires the audience to drink, lots. There is beer EVERYWHERE, but it is definitely all part of the atmosphere! With a back catalogue of 15 studio albums they draw their best songs and some from their most recent album, “Emerald City” to roil this crowd up into a frenzy, bringing the house down as they do it.

Anonymous